


Love, Lou

by mxgicxlou



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anxiety, Confusion, Falling In Love, Louis and Harry - Freeform, Louis has anxiety, Love Story, M/M, Niall eats a lot, Photography, Rejection, harry has a cat called mouse, he also spends way too much time on his laptop in this, he sometimes forgets to feed it, i know im such a carrot, im terrible at tagging, it gets a bit stupid really towards the end, larry - Freeform, louis and niall are in university, louis is me basically, set in brighton, ummmm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 09:31:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5780662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxgicxlou/pseuds/mxgicxlou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With someone who writes fanfiction and deals with anxiety on a regular basis, Louis finds himself torn of facing his fear; change. Harry Styles was the one who came crashing in his life. Or his laptop on Brighton Beach.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love, Lou

**Author's Note:**

> first fic on here soooo
> 
> hope you enjoy this mess!
> 
> Georgie

A loud, ear-piercing noise awoke me and it was safe to say I wasn't exactly elated to hear such a thing at six in the morning.

I grunted into my pillow, sliding the off button on my phone leading to silence and an occasional squak from the seagulls. Before I dared myself to close my eyes back to sleep, I let out a boisterous groan, stretching my limbs once I was standing and out of my warm bed. Rubbing my eyes to get rid of the drowsiness still lingering in my body, I went into the hallway and down to the bathroom to rinse my face.

The cold water helped me stay alert rather than be tempted to take another hour or two for sleep.

I trudged heavily down the stairs, my bare feet hitting the chilled wooden floor. I went to the living room, opening a window to let in some fresh air, hearing the calm sounds of the sea hitting the rocks. It was a nice day out, the sun already streaming in.

Before I could make myself a bowl of cereal for breakfast, my phone chimed through my flat from my bedroom.

I climbed up the stairs, running into my bedroom and snatched the ringing phone from my bedside table and hit accept without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" I said into the phone, scratching my stomach.

_"Hi, Lou!"_

I instantly recognised the sound of my mother's voice. I smiled and sat down on my unmade bed.

_"I was just calling to check up on you...everything alright?"_

I rubbed my forehead, pushing my hair out of the way carelessly.

"Yeah."

Ten minutes later and I was eating cereal to the sound of the radio playing on the counter top. It was lovely for my mum to check up on me every once in a while but it could get a little irritating time to time. I know that being her only son, she can be a tad protective with me living in Brighton whereas she's all the way in Doncaster, it can get a bit over-bearing but I know she means well. It was just tiring hearing the same questions over and over; _have you fed yourself, have you been going out, did you have any episodes recently, when was the last time you exercised, how's your sleeping schedule, blah blah blah._ Honestly. I'm nineteen.

After a well-deserved shower and two minutes of brushing my teeth, I ruffled my hair with my towel, the steam of condensation drifting out of the bathroom. I entered my bedroom and slipped on some clothes: blue button up, black skinny jeans and black vans. I shoved my books and notes in my backpack and threw in my wallet with the rest. I slung my bag over my shoulder and took out the charger in my laptop, putting it in my bag with the case in it. I looked at my room once more, checking to see if I had left anything behind. I turned to leave, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, my keys in the bowl next to the front door and an apple. I took my jacket lying on the back of the kitchen stool and I was out the door. I shut the door behind me and locked it.

I bit into the apple, going down the flight of stairs.

"Hi, Lou. Good morning."

I waved at Sky, a fellow neighbor. She was in her late twenties, still in her pj's and a black bin bag grasped in her hold, ready to take the bin outside. She was very pretty. Black hair that reached the middle of her stomach, light brown skin and grey eyes. Ever since I had moved into the complex, or in Brighton for that matter, she was kind and helped out such as carrying things for me when I was unpacking and showing me round. She was a good friend.

"Hi. You okay?" I asked, stopping onto the landing before I could move down to the last flight of stairs.

"Yeah, just a bit stressed." Sky still had a hint of smile playing on her lips so I knew it was nothing major.

"Planning a wedding can cause that sometimes. But don't stress, you've got months ahead." I said. Her and her partner, Ethan were planning on getting married on February next year. Ethan had proposed on October this year. It was touching and I may have cried a bit when Sky told me I was one of the few people she had told, including her family.

"Yeah, well." Sky said. She closed her door but not locking it and went down the stairs, with me trailing behind her, following.

We reached the front entrance and we departed with a friendly hug.

My phone chimed in his pocket when I was standing at the bus stop, waiting.

_lou! where r u???_

I threw my apple core in the bin and typed back. It was Niall.

_waiting for my bus, where do u wanna meet?_

A few seconds later, my phone chimed. I put it to vibrate, catching an old man's eyes glaring at me, sitting on the bench, waiting for the bus.

_the jubilee cafe?_

I replied. _sure :)_

I could make out the thin slither of the blue sea, the bus coming into my vision. I took out my pass, letting the old man go in after me then going in myself. I went to the upper floor and sat at the front. It was early, only a few secondary school students and parents for the school run on the bus. The longer the bus drove, the further I was from the sea.

A short while after, I got off the bus, weirdly unable to have lost the feeling in my bum. I texted Niall.

_on my way_

I walked across the road and passed the park where I can make out Niall and his blond hair in the distance. He was leaning against the wall, his fingers flying across on his phone screen. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket a second later.

I crossed the street and smiled at Niall.

"You alright, Lou?" Niall grinned at me. He was way too chirpy in the morning. Radiant blue eyes and wide smile.

I shrugged, giving him a tentative smile. We walked into the cafe and ordered a drink whilst Niall got a meal since he didn't have breakfast. Typical.

"So how long do you think it will take you to finish that short story, Lou?" Niall asked. He was cutting up his egg, the yolk dripping out. It was a full English breakfast.

I shrugged, taking my phone out and unlocking it. "I don't know. Maybe today, I was thinking of going down to the beach to finish it off."

Niall nodded, scarfing down his bacon and beans left on his plate.

"Still neglecting your fans, I see." Niall mused, looking at my phone in curiosity.

I shielded my phone from his vision even though he already knew my account name and what I write about. I opened FanFixz scrolling past my message I posted a week ago and read the pleas to try and update.

"I've just been busy with uni and everything." I replied, my eyes scanning the countless messages posted on my board. I had over fifty messages, most likely asking to update, in my inbox. It felt very demanding, like they were screaming. It was like receiving a howler from Harry Potter.

Niall hummed, drinking his apple juice then standing up. His plate was cleared.

"C'mon then, wouldn't want to miss fist class." Niall grinned, taking my arm and leading us to the university.

We went inside the warm building, waving at fellow students rushing to their classes.

Niall asked, "Do you want to meet me outside once I finish Media Studies?"

I nodded. He smiled and ran up the stairs, two at a time. I headed to the English department and kept my head down.

I entered the room, sat behind a lone desk, dumped my bag beside me and sighed. I was at the back where I could just barely see the massive interactive board. I took out my laptop, my notebook and a pen.

The professor smiled and sat on the desk with a hop, facing his many students. He was tall and lanky with a crooked smile plastered on his face. He was very young but very knowledgeable in the topic of English Literature & Language.

And so the hour began.

~*~

The bell rang and I was immediately packing my belongings away when I suddenly bump into a body.

"Oh! Sorry..." I apologised quickly.

It was a boy with kind eyes and a warm smile that made me comfortable in giving a small smile back. He simply nodded and left. I shook of the feeling of unease out of my shoulders and slung my bag over me.

"Lou! Lou!" Niall called, waving frantically, standing beside a bench at the far end of the little green area. I walked across the grass and said, "What is it?"

"Penny told me to tell you, you've been accepted to join Fiction Writing!"

My eyes widen and take Niall's arm.

"Really? Are you sure?"

Niall nodded, his eyes even bluer. I knew that Niall always wanted me to go in to that class but I was sadly declined as I was a year below which didn't meet the requirements.

"Apparently you excelled in so many of your English classes, they thought it was stupid for them to deny you just because you were academically a year below." Niall explained, his hands moving vigorously.

I grinned and hugged the blond. "I can't believe it!"

Niall laughed and hugged back, letting go a few moments later. "And you start tomorrow."

My grin wouldn't leave my face for the rest of the day.

~*~

I bound onto the bus after talking to Niall and take a seat on the upper floor at the front. I take my phone out and go on Tumblr until I hear the ocean. I press the Stop button and get off once I have arrived at my stop. I walk across the road and down to the stairs, hitting the pebbles. I ignore the feeling of them digging into the heels of my feet and thank whoever that the beach is now only occupied by a few people and seagulls.

I sit at a safe distance from the ocean pulling itself back and forth and draw my laptop out of my bag and its protective case. I flipped the lid open and type in my password.

Stifling a yawn, I open up the internet and write FanFixz into the URL tab and click on the first link. I log in and drag my mouse to my works.

The seagulls start flying to the pier and hear a little girl giggling joyfully an hour and a half later. I look up and watch the sun sink into the water.

I continue writing, knowing I have an hour left more until it started getting dark. The tapping noise of my fingers hitting the keyboard fills the silence in my head. It was as if the words were flowing out of me before I could even think the words through.

On a particular difficult scene where the main character Thomas is trying to build up the courage to stand up for himself against a guy too arrogant and hard-headed to have an intellectual conversation with, a body is abruptly crashing onto mine.

"Oops!"

I groan and slide my laptop away from me.

"I am so sorry! I didn't watch where I was going!"

I looked up to see a guy with green eyes and lanky legs looking at me apologetically, a canon camera slung across his neck.

"Hi." I said. "It's fine," I continued nervously, tugging at my jacket. "Just be careful next time, Bambi."

He gave me an uncertain, wobbly smile and stood up, dusting his flannel shirt.

"Sorry." He apologised again earnestly.

I looked down and nodded, silently hoping he would turn and leave. I was still itching to finish at least one chapter for my book before I could finish my short story for my English class tomorrow morning. By the looks of it, I would have to stay up an extra two hours.

"You alright?" He asked. I could make out his worn-down, brown boots in the corner of my vision. His feet must be aching from the lack of protection from the pebbles and rocks. I mean, I couldn't feel my ass as I was sitting on rock hard pebbles for the past three hours but still.

I nodded again. I heard pebbles tumbling and hitting when a warmth was replaced on my left.

"I'm Harry."

I looked up and stared at the guy in front of me. I took in a shaky breath.

"Louis." I introduced myself. My laptop gave a jingle, reminding me to save my work as it had gone to sleep. I saved, logged out and shut it down, shoving it in my bag as quick as I could, feeling the burning look of Harry (a complete stranger who took it upon himself to sit down next to me) and his eyes glaring into the back of my head.

"So, you write, Louis?" Harry asked, leaning back on his hands, his full attention on me. I shifted uncomfortably and chewed on my lip.

"Y-Yeah. What about you?" I turned my eyes to his camera.

Harry smiled and held the camera, taking off the sling that was round his neck. He pressed a few buttons, the lens closing and closing in. He clicked a few more until a bright screen was in front of me.

"Here."

I took the camera into my hands, surprised at the heavy feeling. I clicked the button, showing me the picture which was taken ten minutes ago. It was of a pebbles, close up. The next was again, pebbles but blurry which was probably taken when he fell on top of me. The next. It was of the sea, much earlier, the sun still up in the sky. Rather than the light harshly glaring into the lens, it looked like Harry turned it so the sun rays were shown, sparkling the blue sea. The next. It was of the arcade on the Brighton Pier. Unknown faces shown with games blaring brightly. The next. It was of a beautiful young woman drinking coffee, her profile sharp and in focus, the background of rushing people behind her. Her dark skin contrasted her bright clothes. The next. It was of a couple lying on the beach, watching what I presume their children playing in the water. The next. It was me.

A large hand covers the screen, taking it out of my hands.

"Did you take a picture of me?" I questioned quietly.

Harry angled his eyes to the pebbles, not quite meeting my own eyes.

Silence hung over us, each breath we took out, a cloud of white would appear and mingle before disappearing in our eyes.

"I love capturing moments." Harry said, his gaze fixed on the pebbles. "So when I see you; alone and content with a world you have created around you, I couldn't help capturing it because it could disappear in a moment, vanishing forever."

I stay silent, looking out at the dark sky and at the murky ocean, listening to the soft rumble of Harry's voice filling the peaceful evening. It was getting fairly cold as time went by.

We stay like that until I turn to face Harry.

"You know taking pictures of random strangers is rude, right, Bambi?"

Harry tipped his head back, a short laugh escaping him then rested his chin on his shoulder.

"I can't help it when something so gorgeous is right in front of me."

I huff out a breath and shake my head, my cheeks turning pink. Seagulls fly above us and scoop down, walking towards the end of the shore.

"I better get going." I said, quietly, scratching the back of my neck, preparing to stand up.

"Oh, yeah. No, no, of course." Harry said quickly. He stood up as well, bones cracking in the process.

I picked up my bag and started walking away when I hear him.

"Bye, Louis!"

I turn and wave, speed walking to my home.

I walk for a few minutes, turning then entering the complex. Going up the stairs, I switch on the lights to help me navigate and hopefully not fall. Once I hit the 10th floor, I open my door with my keys.

With a slam of the door, I enter the cold living room and close the window, making out a line of the sea. I close the blinds and walk up to my bedroom, dumping my bag on my desk chair and taking out my laptop. I charge it and set it on my bed.

I walk in the bathroom, clean my face and brush my teeth before taking a pee and washing my hands. I put on jogging bottoms and a loose shirt and switch off the lights, walking to my bed.

"Oh, what a adventurous life you live, Lou." I said, logging in on FanFixz, ignoring my instinct to open up a word document to finish my short story. I only had to write another thousand words to finish the ten-thousand word short story. I'm sure I can finish it tomorrow morning.

I write, the tap tap tap filtering in the room. My lamp casts a soft glow but my eyes sting slightly. I've written seventeen-thousand words and I only need to write out another page or two before this chapter is finished.

I'm about to press the backspace on the entire sentence I have been working for ten minutes as it didn't make any sense when my phone rings.

I grumble and slide out of my bed, taking my phone from my desk and hop back into bed.

"Hello?"

I squint at my laptop screen in the right hand corner. It's half past twelve. Who would be calling at this time?

_"Lou!"_

 Niall.

"Niall? Why the hell are you calling me at half twelve in the morning?" I asked, ludicrously.

 _"Why are_ you _awake at half twelve in the morning?"_ Niall said.

I sighed, leaning against my headboard. "You've got a point. What do you want, Nialler?"

I hear Niall taking a gulp of air through the speaker. _"Just to say that your book has just hit three million."_

My eyes bulge out of my sockets and I'm quick to move my finger across the mouse pad to save my work and navigate myself onto my profile. And there it is.

Wolves and Wizards

3.2 Million Reads

652.7K Comments

1.4 Million Raves

 _"Are you looking at it?"_ Niall asked rather excitedly.

I'm still frozen in awe, looking at the numbers on my screen.

"Niall..." I whisper. "I've just hit three million."

I hear Niall whoop and snort loudly on the other end of the line.

_"I know, Lou!"_

I refresh the page. The numbers are still the same.

"Niall!" I shriek. "I've just hit three million!"

Niall howls even louder. _"That's what I'm saying! I've just noticed when I was reading on FanFixz!"_

I scrunch up my nose and beam at my computer screen.

_"Well, while I finish this chapter, I'm heading to bed. Night, Lou. And congrats."_

"Thanks."

He ended the call.

I toss my phone beside me and grin at the numbers. I decide to switch off and turn for the night, a happy feeling swarming in my chest.

~*~

I woke up with a mild headache and my phone chiming the classic alarm clock. I slid the button to switch the noise off and prepare myself for another day.

I say hello to Sky and walk down the street for my bus. I take out my laptop once I'm seated on the upper deck of the bus and start typing my short story.

~*~

"Mornin' Lou." Greeted Niall, his Irish accent a lot stronger. We were sat on Brighton Pier inside Palm Court, the Fish & Chip shop. We both had one class in the early morning and another at the very end of the day which was incredibly annoying.

"How was Graphic Design?" I asked, dipping my chips into my ketchup.

Niall made a face, tilting his head side to side. "We're writing up rather than actually doing at the moment."

I nodded. I was rather agitated to see how my first lesson in Fiction Writing was going to be. I would be starting somewhat towards the middle of what everybody else was doing, meaning I had some catching up to do.

"So, your short story?" Niall reminded, his plate almost empty.

He was like a vacuum. Jesus Christ.

"Finished it on the bus." I said. "I still need to finish my chapter which you rudely disrupted me from."

Niall rolled his eyes fondly. "Like you weren't happy about getting three million."

I smiled and took my laptop out whilst Niall took his notes and books out.

After a while when my half eaten fish and a couple lone chips had gone cold, I was stuck on a scene. (When I told Niall I wasn't feeling like I could eat anymore, he devoured the whole thing in five minutes.)

"Niall, help." I whine. "I can't seem to make Thomas move and I can't get Eddie to talk."

Niall shook his head amusingly. "Let me see."

I turned my laptop to him, the white apple directed at me.

"Hmm." Niall altered his head from left to right when he made a move to the keyboard, backspacing then typing quickly.

I rested my face on my fist, watching, ignoring the bustling and chatter around me.

"How 'bout that, Lou?" Niall smiled up at him, looking pretty pleased with himself.

I lifted the laptop and set it back on the table, minding his and Niall's drink they got at Moo-Moo's Milkshake.

I read it over.

_"Oh, really?" Eddie smirked, his pale lips curling up in the corners. It was hard to tell whether or not Eddie was still being the sarcastic bastard he was but he wasn't taking it. Hell, he doesn't know why he still talks to him! Thomas scowls at him and snarls back. "You're an asshole, you know that right?"_

_Eddie cackled, his fangs visible in the dark woods. "Dear, dear, Garding." Eddie cracked his knuckles, raising his side off the tree bark where he was leaning on. "What a mess you've put yourself in."_

"Niall! You blooming genius!" I said in happiness. "I can finally post it, thanks."

Niall shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing but I could tell he was smug about it.

I save and publish, watching the circle spiral until a green tick shows on my screen. It leads me to the publish chapter and I can see there are already forty-five currently reading.

I post on my board.

_Hi guys! I've just posted Chapter Forty on Wolves and Wizards with a help of a friend towards the end. Thanks for the three million reads! Hope to update soon but I'm busy with uni for the mo so I hope you understand._

_Love, Lou._


End file.
